Around 12,000 BBY, Haddius Korden, a successful merchant from Corulag, turned his family business into Korden Outfitting and Surveying, which supplied a wide variety of equipment to colonists headed for the farthest frontiers of the known galaxy. [7]

After the Emperor took over, the planet's population was extremely loyal to Palpatine, and its behavior was pointed out as model Imperial behavior. The capital city of Curamelle was also home to the Corulag Academy, an Imperial military academy. It was also during this time that Corulag was home to numerous prisons which held enemies of the Galactic Empire. The House of Citizens was still officially in power, being the lineal descendant of the ancient governments of Corulag through the millennia, though Zafiel Snopps was the de facto ruler and dictator as Imperial governor of the world.

Corulag boasted orbital research stations over its surface on which important work on the Death Star project was done. Rebel forces first confirmed the project's existence after a successful raid on these stations.[8] Under the Empire, Corulag was extremely influential, but after the death of Emperor Palpatine, the planet lost much of its influence.

The retreating Empire eventually abandoned Corulag.[9] Due to Corulag's close ties to Palpatine's New Order, few members of the New Republic Senate were eager to provide aid to the world.[10]